The Element Titanium

About Titanium

The element titanium is a metallic compound that is hardy and naturally abundant. Its strength and durability makes its uses quite varied. It has the atomic number of 22 on the periodic table. Titanium is the ninth most abundant element on Earth. It is almost always present in rocks and sediments. It is usually found in minerals such as ilmenite, rutile, sphene, titanates and many iron ores.

Titanium’s Properties

Titanium is a hard, shiny and strong metal. It is a solid in its natural state. It is as strong as steel, but is less dense as steel. Titanium can withstand extreme temperatures, is corrosion resistant, and fuses well with bone. These desirable properties make titanium ideal for use in a variety of fields including aerospace, defense, and medical. Titanium melts at a temperature of 2,030 degrees Fahrenheit.

Uses for Titanium

Titanium’s strength, resistance to corrosion and extreme temperatures and its great natural abundance make it ideal for a variety of uses. It is often used as an alloy with other metals such as iron and aluminum. Titanium is used in everything from aircraft to laptops to sunscreen to paint.

Below is a list of uses of titanium:

aircraft

spacecraft

missiles

firearms

golf clubs

laptops

bicycles

crutches

power plant condensers

pipes

desalination plants

hulls of ships

submarines

joint replacements (such as hip and knee replacements)

tooth implants

medical instruments

structural engineering

artists’ paint

plastics

enamels

paper

solar observatories

sunscreens

The History of Titanium

The earliest known existence of titanium dates back to 1791 where it was discovered by Reverend William Gregor or Cornwall. Gregor found titanium alloyed with iron some black sand. He analyzed it and later reported it to the Royal Geological Society of Cornwall.

A few years later in 1795, a German scientist named Martin Heinrich Klaproth discovered and analyzed a red ore in Hungary. This red ore was composed of a titanium oxide. Klaproth realized that his discovery as well as Gregor’s discovery contained the same unknown element. He then came up with the name titanium, which he named after titans, the sons of the Earth goddess in Greek mythology.

Throughout the 1800s, small amounts of titanium was mined and produced. Militaries all over the world began to utilize titanium for defense purposes and for firearms.

Pure titanium metal as we know it today was first made in 1910 by M.A. Hunter who, while working for General Electric, melted titanium tetrachloride and sodium metal.

In 1938, metallurgist William Kroll came up with a mass production process of extracting titanium from ore. This process is what made titanium mainstream. The Kroll process is still used today to produce large amounts of titanium.

Titanium is a popular metal compound in the manufacturing industry. Its strength, lower density, durability and shiny look make it ideal for piping, tubing, bars, wiring and protective plating. At Titanium Processing, we offer many cuts and grades of titanium parts available for whatever your project needs are. Our knowledgeable staff can tell you more about this amazing metal and how it can enhance your project. Contact us today.